DENR eyes restoring original width of Marikina River to reduce flood risk

MANILA, Philippines — Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu said Marikina River must be widened to reduce flood risk.
During a recent visit to Marikina City, Cimatu recommended the widening of Marikina River to increase its flood carrying capacity.
The recommendation comes after Marikina City and nearby areas were submerged in flood waters during the onslaught of Typhoon Ulysses.
The environment chief noticed that the river channel was narrow, prompting him to call for strict imposition of easement requirements pertaining to rivers.
Presidential Decree 1067, also known as the Philippine Water Code, requires riverbank easement of three meters in urban areas.
As part of the planned rehabilitation, Cimatu said the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) will evaluate the changes in the width of Marikina River based on the data from the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (NMRIA).
“We will look into the old river and how the river became narrower through the years,” Cimatu said.
“We will restore the original width of the Marikina River,” he added.
At the same time, Cimatu said the DENR will look into the complaint of the Marikina City government over the alleged reclamation project along the river, which has not secured an environmental compliance certificate (ECC) from the environment department.
“Definitely, there should be no reclamation. I will really implement the easement law,” he said.
Cimatu said he has directed the DENR-National Capital Region office to look into the non-issuance of ECC, the reclamation, and the retaining wall built along the riverbanks.